Clamp



June 8 1926.

w. E. HORNER CLAMP- Original Filed J111y'20 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June a, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM ELMER HORNER, F TONKA'WA, OKLAHOMA.

Original application filed 1111 20, 1925, Serial No. 44,819.. Divided and this application filed September 15, 1825.. Serial No. 56,583.

An object of the present invention is the" provision of a simple, reliable and easily adjusted fastening device which aii'ords facilities for connecting the ends of a belt so that the belt will be kept desirably taut without any projecting elements being placed at the inner side ,of the belt or in position tocontact with a pulley on which the belt may travel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willv be apparent from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-'- Figure 1 is a view, mainly in side elevation, and partly invertical section, showing the improved coupler applied to the ends of a belt which is trained about a pair of spaced pulleys, and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the .0

coupler raised from active position and showing in dash lines the ends of the belt in position to be coupled together by means of said coupler.

The improved coupler comprises a hollow body or frame generally designated 1 which consistsof a pair of side members 2 and, a pair of end members 3-joined to each other integrally or otherwise and so formed and arrangedas to pro ce a space within the body open at both theupper and lower ends of the body. This space decreases uniformly in width from its upper end to its lower end. The sides 2 of the coupler body maybe reinforced by web structures on the outer faces thereof, such as indicated at 4. Such web "structures include laterally extending members 5 which extend longitudinally of the coupler body and are adapted to serve as handles for the couplewbody. A wedgeshaped holding mem in the body of thecoupler to cooperate with the side walls of the coupler body to revent withdrawal of the ends 70f a bet 8 coupler showing the holding member of the er 6 is adapted to fit when the ends of the belt have been ex the end portions of the belt against shp ing downward in the coupler when the hol ing member 6 is in position to clamp the ends of the belt against the side walls of the body of the coupler, as illustrated in Fi' e 1. It will be observed that any ulf dn the end portions of the belt, ten in to withdraw such end portions of the belt min the space within the body of the coupler, will tend to ti against the en ,portions of the belt which extend between the holding member and the sides of the coupler body. It therefore is manifest that the end portions of the belt will be firmly and securely fastened to the coupler body and the belt will be maintained desirably taut when the end portions of the belt are connected by the coupler in the manner described. The coupler will be dis- 1 posed at the outer side of the belt and therefore can travelwith the belt about the periphery of pulleys such as indicated at 10 in igure tacting the peripheral surfaces of the pul- If desired, the lower surfaces of the coupler body 1 and theholding member 6 may be concavely curved longitudinally thereof as indicated at 11 and 12 respectively to conform to the convex curvature-of the pfiripheral surface of a pulley over which t e may travel. It also will be noted that the coupledtogether portions of the belt do not overlap but may move in the same plane. Therefore, no obstructions are provided at hten the holding member 6 1 of the drawings, without conbelt with which the coupler is associated the inner side of the belt which would tend to cause undue wear on the belt as the belt moves in contact with a pulley or would tend to interfere with the movement 9f the belt about the periphery of a pulley.

Obviously, embodiment in forms other thanthat which is illustrated in the accompanying drawingI and I therefore consider as my'own all sue the invention is susceptible of l modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim. v

I claim 5 In a device of the character described, a belt tightener comprising a body having a pair of spaced side members and a pair of end members rigid with one another, said body having a space therewithin open at its 10 upper and lower edges, tapering in width from its upper end to its lower end, and a wedge-shaped holding member movable to and from position within said body to cooperate with the side members of said body to retain the ends of a belt against downward movement in said body, and reinforcing web structures on the outer faces of said side members of the body of the coupler, said web structures being adapted to serve as handles for the body of the coupler;

I WILLIAM ELMER HORNER. 

